Posted by Leonard Steinberg on July 24th, 2012 Today a report to be released by Zillow indicates that home prices in the second quarter rose from the year-ago period for the first time since 2007, according to a closely watched index, the latest indication the housing market is starting to recover. In the quarter ending in… [Read More]
PROOF OF THE #7 SUBWAY EXTENSION TO 34th STREET @ 11th AVENUE
Posted by Leonard Steinberg on February 14th, 2012 A perfect Valentine’s gift came to-day in the way of proof that the West Side of Midtown will no longer be isolated from the rest of Manhattan: the tunnel connecting 11th Avenue and 34th Street and Times Square is completed and now the finishing process has begun… [Read More]
CITY POLLUTION: 10 REASONS WHY NEW YORK POLLUTION WILL IMPROVE DRAMATICALLY.
Posted by Leonard Steinberg on January 6th, 2012 The Chinese government announced to-day that they will start to report pollution levles more accurately: if you thought Los Angeles or Denver were bad, you should see Beijing! The explosive 10%+ per year growth combined with 20 million inhabitants and antiquated technologies is producing one of the world’s… [Read More]
LUXURY TREND? WALL STREETERS BECOMING ENTREPRENEURS?
Posted by Leonard Steinberg on December 21st, 2011 Has anyone noticed how many ex Wall Streeters are turning to the markets to create new ventures and businesses? I have heard some who have lost jobs hopeless about their chances of re-creating their past positions or income and others who were just tired of the rat-race…. [Read More]
THE NEW YORK TIMES MISSES THE STORY ON REAL ESTATE TAXES (AGAIN!)
Posted by Leonard Steinberg on November 13th, 2011 In today’s real estate section of the New York Times, the cover article addresses the subject of expiring tax abatements that result in monthly taxes on new buildings that are super-high. In my opinion, this article does not get the story right and misses some very important points: Real estate… [Read More]
THE NEXT BIG BUILDING AMENITY: ULTRA-SECURITY?
Posted by Leonard Steinberg on September 28th, 2011 With the development of new high end residential buildings such as Extel’s One 57, 150 Charles Street, the Rudin’s St. Vincent’s buildings, One Madison Park, 212 West 18th Street, etc roaring back to life in Manhattan, the question always arises at the marketing meetings: what is the… [Read More]
JOEL OSTEEN PREACHES REAL ESTATE
Posted by Leonard Steinberg on September 26th, 2011 Yesterday while on the treadmill I came across the Joel Osteen show…..yes that perennially grinning Joel Osteen preacher from Houston who broadcasts weekly from his Houston arena-sized mega-church….and I actually think a lot of his message is really quite good. It’s not too judgmental, angry or dark…. [Read More]
A WEAKER EURO: HOW WILL IT AFFECT MANHATTAN REAL ESTATE?
Posted by Leonard Steinberg on September 19, 2011 The Euro has dropped from its $ 1.46 average to closer to $ 1.36, certainly a result of the ongoing financial turmoil in Greece, Italy, Spain and even France. European buyers have been a small but strong component of the Manhattan market in the past few years…..will… [Read More]
SPELLING MANSION SELLS + CLOSES
Most expensive US house closes.
THE STUPIDITY OF GOVERNMENT-THINK BANKS
Posted by Leonard Steinberg on June 29th, 2011 Some banks are being like governments right now: stupid. When banks do not want to lend to highly qualified, super-reliable, well educated, credit worthy clients, we should conclude that we have a MAJOR problem. When these same banks make everything in the application process so difficult, cumbersome,… [Read More]